


The pirate's life for us

by Queentacosaurus101



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, Alternate Universe - Shipwrecked, Eventual Relationships, F/F, F/M, I just wanted to write a gay Pirate AU, Just a heads up: There will be character deaths in future chapters, Let's play a game of guess what each of the characters are hiding, M/M, Magical Artifacts, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Slow Burn, Some people aren't tagged because that would be spoilers, Tags to be added as plot progresses, everyone has secrets
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2019-03-31
Packaged: 2019-06-27 16:47:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15689421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Queentacosaurus101/pseuds/Queentacosaurus101
Summary: Six pirate ships led by six eager captains are all racing against each other to find a legendary treasure that's shrouded in mystery, known as the Jewel of Voltron, when a terrifying storm none of them could have foreseen catches them off guard. Now marooned on an island filled with danger, the captains (along with their crews) must all work together to get off the island. However, things aren't so simple when each of the captains has a secret to hide, causing distrust to linger between them. Things grow even more complicated when  a group of female explorers arrive with a man many of the captains are familiar with: Lotor. But beyond the shores they're confined to is a terrifying threat called Sendak, a bloodthirsty man who aims to finish the task he started for his emperor years ago.With all these odds against them, it seems almost impossible for the captains to survive. Luckily for them, the relationships they make along the way might help them in  more ways than one.





	1. A sea of perils

The seas were particularly rough that night, tumultuously churning the waves that looked black from the shadow of the thunderclouds above the cerulean boat that was foolishly navigating the waters. The captain twirled the ship’s wheel assertively, smirking confidently against the storm as the rain poured from the heavens and the wind wailed. The wooden side of the ship creaked as she turned, narrowly missing an enormous wave that splashed back in to the water in a huff, lightly spraying a few unfortunate crew members with salt water. “Captain, are you sure we should head in this direction?” The first mate asked, screaming against the wind. Her drenched blonde braids were whipped in to her face by the wind which had now increased dramatically.

The captain let out a wild laugh, eyes glinting with the thirst for adventure and burning with an untamed boisterousness. “I’m one hundred percent sure!” He crooned back. “We’ll be fine, I promise.”

Another gust of the howling wind swerved the ship, forcing the captain to grit his teeth tightly together to sail freely against it, gripping his hat with his free hand to keep it fastened upon his head. The crew braced themselves at their captain’s request as they were violently tossed about the ship by the constant turning of the wheel and the shoves from the wind and waves. Screams sounded and not long afterwards the captain had to maneuverer the ship to make it more agile through the barrage of sudden waves and luminous flashes of lightning.

“We made it!” The captain cheered out as the ship passed in to a new stretch in the seas where the rain stopped and the thunderclouds passed over them, rumbling ominously as they did so.

“You really had me worried for a moment, Lance.” The first mate remarked, giving the captain a light shove with her shoulder as she smirked impishly.

“You should know by now Nyma. Never doubt the great Lancey-Lance! Have I been wrong about a storm yet?” The captain rebutted, grinning teasingly back.

Nyma sighed before shaking her head gently. “No, you haven’t. You got lucky again.”

“C’mon, Nyma, we both know luck has nothing to do with it.” Lance replied, eyes twinkling with shared knowledge and mirth. Nyma chuckled.

“That we do.” She agreed before clasping at one of her soggy braids and grimacing. “I’m going to dry off. Let me know when we’re arriving on land.”

Captain Lance saluted playfully as Nyma disappeared down below deck. Lance commenced congratulating his crew for their bravery through yet another storm. The crew all began to heartily sing their captain’s praises, making him flush with pride, before busying themselves with checking the ship for damages from the storm.

Yet another average voyage aboard the decks of the Blue Lion.

* * *

 

Being aboard the Blue Lion was a thrill for every member of the crew, right down to the cabin girl, Nadia Rizavi, who was only just starting to learn the ropes of manning the ship. Their captain would sail them through many a dangerous storm and everyone would come out fine, if a bit soaked. There had been a couple of close calls, where someone slipped overboard in to perilous waters that no one could swim in. Luckily for them, the oceans were always on their captain’s side as they would be quickly rescued by him. All in all, their desire for adventure only grew with each voyage they shared upon the magnificent ship named for the wonderful hues of blues and golden lion figurehead with sapphires for eyes that decorated it.

For Lance, the ship was a godsend, whisking him away to faraway places where he could meet people of all different kinds of backgrounds. People had always fascinated Lance. He could learn all about their histories and marvel at their customs, never finding it tiresome out on waters teeming with possibilities. Lance knew the ocean had always called out to him, its allure running deep within his veins, and now he was acting upon it, living his dreams and fantasies from childhood. Yet despite this thrilling life, Lance would sometimes stare longingly out at the waves in the dead of night when the stars gleamed as he clutched the cold, steel key that dangled around his neck like a noose, concealed by a blue scarf. The key opened a beautiful wooden chest in his quarters filled with the reminders of the price he had to pay to allow him to be where he stood upon the deck of his ship. Whenever he glanced at them, Lance couldn’t help but grieve, feeling none of it was worth it. He carried on with his voyages in The Sweet Trade (piracy, to all you landlubbers) with all of the bravado and dashing smiles he could muster, allowing himself to become lost and consumed in his escape from grief.

Then, someone Lance encountered on an escapade informed him of an elusive treasure he couldn’t resist pursuing and all was lost as the captain began to excitedly chart out what was initially a quick detour that swiftly spiralled in to a venture like no other.

This particular voyage had started the same as the others, cruising assertively through yet another perilous storm before arriving on the shores of an island which welcomed pirates as they would their own kin, a welcome view in the tired eyes of the Blue Lion’s crew. A delicious feast of warm food and plenty of ale was graciously accepted in trade for tales of daring-do and ditties of the sea. The chief of the island, decorated in a display of royal purple garments and a small wicker crown weaved atop his head full of luscious white hair, smiled at his visitors, savouring their storytelling and shanties while they all dined. He was especially interested by Lance’s vessel, The Blue Lion, and was told of the narrow escapes and escapades Lance had to go through in order to keep her intact.

“Tell me Captain, have you come all of this way to seek out the Jewel?” The chief asked quite suddenly, causing a surprised hush to fall over the table. Neither Lance nor his crew knew what the chief meant but the stunned reactions of the island’s inhabitants at his words certainly sparked their interest.

“Forgive me for asking but what jewel?” Lance replied, barely able to hold back his eagerness.

The chief chuckled to himself before answering the keen captain’s question. “Why, the Jewel of Voltron of course. A glamorous trinket located on a secluded island not far from here, hidden from the untrained eye. It is said only the worthy can seek out this treasure and wield the power it possesses.”

Lance’s brow furrowed in thought as he slowly said “So… this jewel has magical powers?”

“Apparently so. It is a thing of legends around these parts of the sea. No one is too sure if it exists anymore as it hasn’t been sighted for thousands of years, lost to the ages. Your names would go down in history if you were to recover it, Captain.” The chief said smoothly. There was glint in his eyes, hinting that there was more to the legend than he was letting on.

“Allegedly, it also grants the deepest desires of those who find it. Whatever you wish may be, it is granted by the Jewel. No strings attached.” He added before pointedly looking at Lance as the former’s eyes lit up hopefully.

“Any wish?” Lance asked excitedly.

“Any wish.” The chief answered, inclining his head in to the slightest nod. The corners of his lips twitched, as if he was holding back a smile.

Lance grinned, a stunning fantasy developing inside his head. He could already picture holding a glimmering aquamarine gem that burnt his hand with its intense mystical aura as he held it tightly. It lit up a desolate and dingy cave, lighting a path across the deep sea towards…

“You wouldn’t happen to have a map of the area around here would you?” Lance then inquired, ignoring his mind’s hopeful yet desperate imagination.

The chief chuckled. “Fortunately for you, I do.”

Reaching in to a concealed pocket within his violet robes, the chief withdrew a weathered map, aged by years of being unused. He delicately laid it out before Lance, removing the large creases from corners by smoothing them with his hands. As he moved, the few strands of his white hair that were braided collided. The rich purple feathers swished furiously and the black beads clacked stridently, drawing everyone’s undivided attention.

“As you can see it is not in the best condition and there are any areas marked down as unknown. Going ahead on a journey with this map could be perilous. Are you certain you and your crew would be up for this?” The chief queried, staring at the captain and his crew with what they all perceived was concern.

Lance gave a wry grin. “Of course we are.”

* * *

 

“These are the islands we know of that match the one describe the one in the myth. I wish you the best, Captain Lance.” The Chief had remarked upon the crew’s departure, giving a humble bow.

“Thank you, Chief Lotor.” Lance replied back, bowing even lower.

After biding the chief goodbye, the crew of The Blue Lion set sail. The chief had been kind enough to mark out their voyage, showing all eight of the possible locations the mythical treasure could be located. Lance immediately busied himself in studying the map, burying himself in its mysteries. Nyma patiently guided the boat at the wheel, gently nibbling at her lips in worry.

As much as she loved adventuring with Lance, Nyma couldn’t help but think that her captain had a different reason for seeking out the jewel other than for the glory of finding it and gaining its powers. She knew Lance well enough by now. Nyma knew the details of his past, why he had decided to sail the seas in the first place, more than any other member except for Lance himself. Chief Lotor had mentioned the Jewel of Voltron had the capability to reward its finder by allowing their dreams coming real. If this was true and the wish-granting Jewel existed, Nyma knew precisely what Lance would use it for. Now Nyma would be more than happy for Lance to do so (in fact she would be ecstatic if it worked) yet there was a nagging feeling inside her that doubted Lotor’s words. They seemed too good to be genuine, tailored to be exactly what Lance was longing to hear. She wasn’t even sure what Lotor’s motives behind sending Lance on a futile quest would be but Nyma knew she didn’t like them one bit.

Nyma decided she would wait to bring this up, allowing her friend’s hope to guide them. The second it seemed there really was no Jewel of Voltron, Nyma would be more than happy to help Lance turn the ship around to confront Lotor, regardless of his high and mighty title. Besides, it wouldn’t hurt to indulge in this escapade for now.

Just then, something rammed in to the left hand side of the Blue Lion, causing everyone to be flung to the side in surprise. Lance slammed open the doors to his office as he hurried to the wheel, screaming orders in a panic. His hat sat askew on his head while he struggled to shove his cerulean captain coat on, stumbling as the ship was shoved again. Taking the wheel once more, Lance tried to gather his bearings, disorientated.

“Captain, it’s the Red Lion!” One of the crew members shouted, pointing to a ship with sheening scarlet paint and a similar figurehead to the Blue Lion excluding the rubies adorned in the eyes. Upon spotting the ship responsible for all the shoving, Lance’s face darkened in to a glower as he gritted his teeth, muttering foul curses under his breath while his grip on the wheel tightened in frustration. He knew of the Red Lion all too well.

The Red Lion butted in to the Blue Lion and Lance yelped, wildly spinning the wheel to get back on course to one of the islands. Lance then sharply turned the Blue Lion in the Red Lion, forcing the latter away. The two ships crashed against each other, both fighting for the right to cruise where it pleased. An indignant yell came from the Red Lion. “Knock it off!”

“What was that?” Lance taunted, striking hard against the Red Lion’s side.

“You’re being really childish right now!” Another rough shove came from the Red Lion.

“Says the one who purposely made his ship ram in to mine!” Lance defended himself, turning to scowl at the captain on the ship opposite.

He was met by his enemy, Captain Keith of the Red Lion, glaring with the ferocity of a vehement tempest that had the force capable of shipwrecking even the most skilled pirates. He wore a similar coat to Lance, except his was red like his beloved ship, and had his long black hair tied back out of his face with a cream ribbon that matched his dress shirt. From his waist, a leather sheath hung, concealing an impressive silver sword Lance had the displeasure of meeting on too many occasions.

“It was an accident! It’s not my fault your ship strays all over the place.” Keith shouted back, flipping Lance off for good measure.

Lance’s nostrils flared and he swore at Keith back, only aggravating him more.

* * *

 

A year or so ago, Lance’s crew had run in to the Red Lion’s when both were hunting the same treasure that Keith managed to steal right from under Lance’s nose. Ever since, their paths kept crossing and Keith would constantly make off with some trinket Lance had been itching to get his hands on, causing him to swear them rivals of the worst and most bitter kind. The pair became at odds with each other, neck and neck, as they tossed profanities and insults between each other. There was a small part inside both of them that secretly enjoyed their game of who could find treasure first, finding a thrill and motivation to be better amongst all the shouting matches.

Their rivalry was well-known amongst other pirate ships. If anyone saw a red and blue ship quarrelling near the shore, they knew it was best to not get involved, lest they be dragged in to their petty argument. Except on this adventure it seems.

From behind the Red Lion, a large black ship breezed past with its captain looking huffily in their direction. “Who is that?” Lance asked, forgetting his argument momentarily.

Keith shrugged back before calling out to the black ship. “Hey! Who goes there?”

“My name is Captain Takashi Shirogane of the Black Lion. My crew and I are seeking out the Jewel of Voltron but please; don’t let me interrupt your squabble.” The black ship’s captain replied, judging the other two sullenly.

“Okay first of all, this isn’t a squabble, it’s an intense rivalry.” Lance began heatedly.

Captain Takashi gave a mild snort of amusement when Keith nodded angrily along with Lance. Takashi then placed his right hand firmly upon his hip, next to the gun in its holster that rested there. “Alright, it’s an intense rivalry. My apologies, Captains.” He gave a mock bow which Lance seemed to be satisfied with. Keith rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest moodily.

“Second of all, you’re not gonna find the Jewel of Voltron because my crew and I are gonna find it first!” Lance declared smugly.

Takashi raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

“No.” Keith cut in. “Because the crew of the Red Lion will find it first.”

“What?! No! You probably have no idea what we’re on about right now. You just saw my ship and rammed in to us!”

“Lance, for the last time, I didn’t intentionally crash in to you!” Keith snapped, jaw jutting out in frustration.

Lance was about to argue back when something bumped gently in to the other side of the Blue Lion. Lance whipped his head around to look, hat nearly falling off in the process. To the right of the Blue Lion was a yellow ship. “Another ship?” Lance muttered in both confusion and annoyance. He glanced at the other two captains for an explanation but both were just as perplexed as he was.

The Captain of the new ship meekly waved. “Hello! I’m really sorry for crashing in to your ship. I’m Captain Hunk of the Yellow Lion.”

Lance turned to Keith. “That was an accident.”

“OH FOR-...” Keith started only to be cut off by the horrible sound of someone vomiting over on the Yellow Lion. Captains Takashi, Keith and Lance all looked on in horror as Captain Hunk shakily wiped his mouth from where he was leaning over the side of his ship, a queasy shade of green.

“Sorry, I have really bad seasickness!”

“You’re a captain! How can you get seasick?” Keith yelled back at Hunk, repulsed.

Hunk shrugged helplessly. “Honestly? I don’t know.”

Just when things couldn’t get more complicated, another ship appeared. It was painted emerald like envy or wealth. “YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!” Lance shrieked in exasperation, throwing his hands up in the air.

“How many other ships are there?!” Keith added, craning his neck and groaning when a white ship came in to view.

“I don’t suppose you boys are on the hunt for the Jewel of Voltron too?” asked the (supposed) captain of the white ship. She was rather beautiful, in a windswept way, with snowy-coloured hair scrapped in to a bun and aquamarine eyes glinting with mischief. She had an assortment of jewellery on, the most notable being a fancy silver ring encrusted with rose quartz gems on her left ring finger.

“What of it?” Keith demanded hotly.

An amused cackle came from the jade-coloured ship, growing rapidly close. “Oh wow, it is true.” A girl remarked, shoving a green bandanna further up her brow to keep it from falling over the hazel eyes squinting playfully at Keith and Lance. “The Red and Blue Lions are always one step behind each other.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Keith fired back, hand drifting threateningly to his sword.

“Yeah! Where’s your captain, Shortie?” Lance huffed.

The girl puffed out her chest in pride, stood up straight in order to look much taller than she actually was and smirked smugly. “I am the captain.”

The other five captains gawked at her for a second before voicing their complete and utter disbelief.

“There’s no way…” Hunk said breathlessly.

“Are… are you sure? You seem too young.” The other female captain queried, staring cautiously at the girl as she glared at them all.

“I’m being serious. I’m the captain of the Green Lion.”

“Pfft, yeah right.” Lance countered back, cackling.

“I’m with Captain Lance on this one. There’s no way…” Keith commented.

“Captain Pidge of the Green Lion.” The girl interrupted giving a mocking curtsy before making a crude gesture with both of her middle fingers. “At your service.”

“Captain Takashi Shirogane of the Black Lion, at yours.” Shiro replied, perturbed slightly.

“Captain Allura of the White Lion, also at your service.”

“Nice to meet you all! I’m Captain Hunk of the Yellow Lion.”

“Look, it’s lovely that we’re being pals and all but I’m cutting it short. I have a magical jewel to find.” Lance cut in, attempting to swerve the Blue Lion away from the other ships.

“Not if I find it first!” Keith bellowed back, making a point of knocking Lance’s ship in to the Yellow Lion.

“I think you’ll find the White Lion is finding the Jewel!” Allura shouted over the strong winds that were slowly starting to blow.

“Hey, uh, quick suggestion here, feel free to ignore it but wouldn’t it be better if we all banded together to find this thing? I mean, I’m more than happy to compete against you guys, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that-…” Hunk began rambling only to be interrupted by Pidge.

“No way!”

Shortly after this, all of the captains broke out in to a heavy dispute, over who would claim the Jewel of Voltron, arbitrarily guiding their ships through the water, as their crews looked on in bewilderment. The various first mates congregated away from their screeching captains, not too keen in becoming involved.

“Things are getting really out of hand, huh?” Nyma mused, grasping on to the nearest surface to avoid being tossed about.

“It’s ridiculous if you ask me.” A male remarked, glaring in the direction of his captain, Keith.

“You know, even with this ‘rivalry’ going on, I’ve never learnt your name. I’m Nyma.” Lance’s first mate introduced herself to Keith’s, leaning over the small gap between their boats to shake hands.

“Rolo.”

As they got talking, so did the first mates of the Green Lion and the Yellow Lion. It turned out Pidge had roped her brother in to accompanying her upon her hunt for all the world’s treasures. He didn’t really offer much of the circumstances around it such as to why he allowed her to play captain when he was clearly the elder one. Regardless, Matthew was a cheerful soul, striking up a conversation easily with Shay; Hunk’s childhood playmate turned first mate.

Allura’s first mate, Romelle, was also her playmate from ever since they were infants. The pair of them were depicted to be as thick as thieves (which was pretty accurate considering the fact the pair were pirates). Her blonde hair was tied back from her face in a pair of loose pigtails while a pair of gold earrings dangled from her ears. Romelle stood observing the captains quizzically. “How are you finding this whole ordeal?” She asked the Black Lion’s first mate, tucking the escaped strands of her hair behind her ear to no avail.

“Honestly? I think Tadashi is being just as childish as the rest of them.” He replied, shaking his head disapprovingly. This comment was further validated by the fact that Tadashi was sticking his tongue out at Lance when the latter wasn’t looking. Adam, being both Tadashi’s first mate and husband, looked the most exasperated out of all of them, patience wearing thinner than brittle rocks corroded by the playful waves of the sea.

Still, things weren’t going too horribly aside from all the bickering.

* * *

 

Truly, things went downhill when Lance’s entire body suddenly stiffened while he was at the wheel, murmuring things about the other captains. Strangely, his cerulean eyes became misty, as if he were in a trance or being possessed by a spirit of some kind. Then, his body grew dangerously limp and his grip on the wheel slipped. Nyma immediately hurried to his aid as Lance began to stumble blindly backwards, propping up against the wall near the doors to his office. The Blue Lion drifted in to the Red Lion, bumping it to the Black Lion and setting off a domino effect where the Green and White Lions were also knocked further off-course. “Hey! Watch it!” Keith snapped angrily before looking over. His scowl then softened as something flashed over his face before schooling it in to a pout, covering up whatever emotion he had been wearing.

“Is he okay?” He asked, unable to hide the concern in his voice despite his best efforts.

Nyma nodded, retaking control of the ship and offering a small smile. “He gets spells like this from time to time.”

A deep rumble of thunder sounded overhead, drowning out any other sound such as the splash of the waves as they grew rougher. This caused everyone to look up at the skies and take notice of how swiftly the sky had darkened from its hues of blue to murky black.

Lane swallowed nervously, beginning to emerge from his daze. His face was growing damp with sweat from intense concentration of some kind. Trembling a little, he spoke lips moving of their own accord. “This is really bad. Really bad.”

“It’s just a thunderstorm. It’ll pass.” Pidge scoffed.

Lance shook his head rapidly. “No, this is dangerous. We can’t sail in these conditions.” He rambled, unsteadily walking over to Nyma and giving her a pleading look.

It was unnerving to watch as Captain Lance, who for the past hour or so had been bragging about his boldness, suddenly transformed in to this diminished figure meekly voicing his fears, the picture of paranoia. Nyma remained as calm as she could. “Dry land isn’t too far away. We can make it. Besides, we’ve braved storms before.” She replied, nudging Lance gently in the side in an attempt to snap him out of his stupor.

This was met by another shake of the head. This time, Lance was more desperate. “Nyma, we won’t. I can feel…” Lance cut himself off, clamping his mouth forcefully shut as if he had given something away he wasn’t supposed to.

Nyma now looked terrified by whatever Lance had been going to say, holding on to the wheel as tightly as possible like her life was dependent on it (which it was at this point). Another bellow of thunder echoed before a crack of lightning struck the sea, spewing a bright light everywhere. A ferocious wind began to wail, blowing hats from heads and sending crew members skidding along the deck. “Woah! What’s happening?” Hunk questioned, struggling to turn against the wind.

“A deadly storm.” Lance called back, growing with strength. His eyes were squeezed shut, brow creased in deep concentration as he began to mutter under his breath, nails digging deeply in to his clenched hands. His hat skittered around his feet but he seemed not to notice. He almost looked like he was praying to some deity that they would survive the storm.

“What are you-?” Keith began to ask only to get cut off by a shriek from Romelle as a large wave splashed over the White Lion, nearly toppling her and a few others off the ship.

“Everyone hang on tightly to your ships!” Lance commanded. His eyes were now wide open and bright despite the shadowy atmosphere. Strangely, everyone complied, feeling oddly compelled by something in Lance’s voice.

A colossal wave rippled dangerously underneath all six of the ships, swaying everyone wrathfully before rising and descending on them. Another wave followed, even deadlier than the last. Everyone was thoroughly soaked while a fusillade of waves began to assault them, making it harder and harder for them to keep a sturdy grip on whatever part of their ship they had grasped as every surface became slippery. Rain pelted down from the darkness above their heads, further ensuring everything and everyone was damp. A shiver ran through the pirates as they began to feel the coldness from their wet clothes and the winds swirling around them. It felt like something or someone was stirring the ocean around them, mixing up an assortment of dangers for the pirates to face for some twisted form of amusement.

The winds grew more temperamental, blowing unclaimed hats over board and making it nearly impossible to speak or hear anything such as the waves as they spewed upwards. Lance barely had time to scramble after his hat before being bowled off his feet as the force of the waves under his ship. Nyma screamed something but Lance couldn’t make it out, trying to scramble back to his wheel. A graze on his chin oozed with a light trickle of blood.

It turned out Nyma had spotted they were all being shoved towards a cluster of rocks which looked particularly threatening with their sharp edges and huge sizes. In fact, the only good that seemed to come from them was the sandy shoreline a few meters away. Lance was about to alert the other ships when the Red Lion crashed in to the rocks from the left, sending shards of wood upwards. As he heard the Red Lion creak, Keith’s eyes widened in panic, watching as his ship tilted closer to the water. “Jump! Jump overboard now!” He yelled at his crew, realising that there was a distinct possibility of the ship sinking. Members of the Red Lion fled from the decks, throwing themselves over the ship and swimming as fast as they could.

It seemed something similar had occurred to the Black, Green, White and Yellow lions for their captains and crews were all jumping in to the water as well with cries of “Abandon ship!” and “In to the water, hurry!” The only ship close to reaching the shore of the nearby island was the Blue Lion, gliding over the waves with minor scrapes and bumps to its surface.

Lance watched Keith leap in to the waves, gasping in alarm as he watched his rival begin to struggle against the tides washing over him. He briefly glanced at his crew, trembling together but otherwise okay, before casting a look at the waters, fear rising in his chest. It should be known that Captain Lance of the Blue Lion was not afraid of swimming. He was an excellent swimmer. The waves bent to his will whenever he did swim, allowing him to move freely. On numerous occasions (which I feel was brought up previously), Lance had dived in to the sea to save a member of his crew who had accidently fallen. So his fears did not come from an incapability to swim but from rather an unwanted memory of the night Lance decided to sail in the first place. The waters had been the same has they had that night, gigantic and tempestuous, while his family had swum desperately back to their island to escape…

Lance forced himself to focus, inhaling sharply before tossing his hat to a bewildered Nyma. “Take the wheel and get to shore. I’m going to take some of our best swimmers and help the other crews to safety.” He instructed.

Nyma’s eyes widened. “But Lance…” She began to protest only for Lance to interrupt her.

“Nyma, don’t make me do _it_.” He begged her softly, not referring to the driving the ship but something else entirely.

“Lance…”

“Nyma, take the wheel and get to shore with the crew.” Lance then demanded in the same tone from when he told everyone to hold on to their ships. Nyma could only nod helplessly as she walked over to the wheel.

“I’m sorry but it’s for the good of the crew. See you on land.” Lance added apologetically before turning to his crew. He pointed to all of his strongest swimmers and told them of his plan.

“Florina, Plaxum, Swirn and Blumflump. All of us are going to go in to these waters and help those poor people get to shore. Under no circumstances are we to change from our human forms. If any of you are struggling, remember: the water will work with you if you concentrate hard enough. I’ll help you should you be in that much danger.” He instructed.

“You’ve got it Captain.” Blumflump saluted, prompting the others to copy.

“Would it be easier for us to transform?” Swirn questioned. Her eyes glinted with a small spark of hope. It had been ages since they had all been in their true forms freely…

“It would.” Lance agreed before releasing a deep sigh. “But we don’t know if we can trust them with our secret. It’s best to play it safe for now.”

The conversation was brought to an abrupt end when Lance noticed Keith appeared to be losing his battle against the sea, sinking deeper than he had been previously. His insides twisted painfully with dread, making him feeler sicker with every moment he spent not helping. The five of them readied themselves by walking to the edge of the ship closest to the water. “Okay, let’s go.” Lance said, steeling his nerves. The other four dove in before Lance, charging through the water with ease and yelling reassurance to the other pirates.

“Hang in there, Keith. I’m coming.” Lance whispered as his gaze settled on Keith before leaping in to the perilous and murky waters below without a second thought.


	2. A captain's quarrels

Keith tried to pinpoint exactly where everything had all gone so horribly wrong. Just a few hours earlier, he had been sailing about on his mighty ship, the Red Lion, in search of the Jewel of Voltron (having been hunting it for a while) before running in to his infuriating rival Captain Lance of the Blue Lion. Now he was a minute or so away from drowning in the most dangerous waters he had ever been unfortunate enough to encounter. In all honesty, Keith hadn’t pictured himself dying this way, at the mercy of the sea. He always figured it’d be due to his fiery temper which was the cause of one too many violent confrontations. Keith supposed he would piss off the wrong person and that’d be it. Still, what else would be a more ironic death for a pirate captain like himself?

Salt water began to fill his lungs, making them heavy and hard to breathe with, as he flailed about, struggling to swim against rough tide after rough tide before slowly sinking beneath the dangerously stirring waves. Suddenly, two hands grabbed his body by the waist, yanking him to the surface. Keith began spluttering, coughing up water as Lance (to Keith’s surprise) hurriedly whispered “I’ve got you, Keith. Stay with me, okay? I need you to stay with me so that we can get to shore, buddy. ”

Keith could only nod, still spewing water. Together the pair of them battled against the sea, narrowly avoiding the wreckage that drifted past while others around them did the same, frantically calling out to other survivors. Keith frantically whipped his around, hoping to catch a glimpse of his crew. To his relief, the majority of them were shrieking his name from the shores of the island. A wrench of worry gurgled in his gut as he hoped the rest hadn’t suffered the fate Lance had narrowly saved him from.

Lance’s grip on Keith was unbearably strong, unrelenting even when Keith tried to wriggle himself free and swim on his own, annoying Keith immensely. He was more than capable of swimming by himself. He tried to speak up but his throat was raw from both the lack of oxygen and the salty tang of the sea water he had inhaled. What little words escaped his mouth came out weakly, unintelligible. “Hey, we’re nearly there. Stay with me.” Lance replied to his nonsense. His voice washed over Keith like a tranquil and soothing tide, convincing him to fulfil Lance’s request. 

Another swift kick of their legs and Keith had never been so relieved to meet a sandy shoreline in his entire life. He wobbled to his legs as did Lance, still clinging to his waist. Keith brushed him off, croaking out a hoarse “Get off, I’m fine.”

“Keith, you nearly drowned. I’m pretty sure you’re not okay!” Lance snapped back, glaring disapprovingly at him.

Keith readied himself for an argument when he stopped and simply turned his head away tersely, biting the inside of his cheek to cool himself down. He was understandably shaken up by the whole situation but yelling at Lance wasn’t going to help in any shape or form. Plus, the guy did just haul Keith’s sorry ass out of the sea which was still as harsh as it had been when he was drowning. Before Keith could reply to Lance, Nyma and Rolo sprinted over with the crews of each respective captain in tow. “Glad to see you made it, Captain.” Rolo addressed Keith with a firm but friendly hug.

Keith gave a stiff nod in return, awkwardly patting Rolo’s back before turning to Lance. “Thank you for saving me back there.”

Lance gave a small, gentle smile for a brief moment before coughing and giving a nonchalant shrug. “You’re welcome.” He replied before Nyma grabbed his arm, dragging him away forcefully. Though she wore a polite smile, Keith could recognise the seething rage she felt by the way her nails dug in to Lance’s coat and her fingers trapped it in a vice-like grip.  

Keith couldn’t help but wonder why she was so furious. Was Nyma infuriated by the fact Lance had just risked his life for his rival? He briefly considered listening in to their conversation, taking place purposefully away from the wreckage everyone was floundering around when Rolo said “We should probably talk with the other survivors, see if anyone’s missing or… worse.”

Keith nodded weakly before he briskly set off to find the Red Lion’s shipmates with a somewhat heavy heart.

* * *

Admittedly, Keith had been highly sceptical towards Chief Lotor, the one who told him about the Jewel, when they first met. Lotor seemed to be hiding a conniving nature behind that smile of his, which was too keen and, at times, too much like a smirk.  However, he had won Keith over by playing a gambling game, somehow acutely aware of Keith’s quick temperament and competitiveness. In one swift round, Keith had gained several pouches of gold, fine silver earrings, yet another sharp cutlass to add to his alarmingly large assortment of weapons and a charted map which had been placed amongst the winnings.  Lotor claimed led it to an exotic jewel, strangely named the ‘Jewel of Voltron’.

“What’s so special about this jewel?” Keith had inquired, after pocketing the map before Lotor could snatch it back.

The Chief gave a small chuckle. “I take it the jewel has perked your interest, Captain?”

Keith gave a huff before admitting “I suppose so.”

“Only the worthy can seek out this jewel and wield the power it possesses, lost to the ages. If you could recover it, why…” Lotor paused to give another chuckle, muffled by his hand. “…you’d be honoured by all, especially your mother.”

At this, Captain Keith’s bolted upright in his seat. “How did you…?” He began, before shutting his eyes and inhaling sharply.

“My family’s private business isn’t any of your concern.” Keith remarked, scowling at the man opposite him.

“Let’s just say rumours tend to spread, Captain.” Chief Lotor countered coolly. He looked down at the table in thought, lips twitching upward an inch as Keith’s fists clenched. 

“I’d best be off.” Keith said before rising from his chair so swiftly that it was sent clattering to the ground with an irate thud.

“Come now, Captain. Won’t you stay a little while longer? I didn’t mean to offend you. I was merely suggesting-…”

“I’ll take your suggestion in to consideration.”  Keith interrupted cuttingly.

“Very well then. Farewell, Captain.”  The Chief added, nodding his head regally.

Keith’s jaw tightened, watching a self-righteous leer overtake Lotor’s face as the Chief leaned back in to his seat with his hands folded neatly in to his lap. There were several choice phrases that Keith was itching to say with most of them containing vulgar language he picked up on his travels.

“Farewell.” He chose to say instead, much more composed, before briskly walking away from the conniving Chief with the crew of the Red Lion hurrying after.

* * *

Everyone looked worse for wear with their clothes soaking and covered in grimy sand that stuck to their faces as well. Some even had strands of stray seaweed in their hair, dishevelled by the storm. They all grouped together on the light brown sand under their feet where they squatted in groups and shivered as the sunlight came drifting back, paler than before but there at least.

Rolo, first mate to Captain Keith of the Red Lion, was amongst them. He sunk his hands in to the sand as if becoming reassured that this entire situation was indeed real by the feeling of sand grains digging in under his fingernails.  As he cast a look up to his anxiously pacing captain, he bluntly asked “What now?”

Keith halted.  His face was blank yet the slight twitch of his nose indicated he was in deep thought. “I don’t know.” He finally admitted in defeat after contemplating their situation.

In the distance, the waves had calmed considerably, lapping against the shore. The sky became less of a domineering black and more of a light grey with the slightest hint of blue skies which allowed the sun to peek through just enough to offer a tiny amount of warmth. It had stopped raining for the most part with the occasional drizzle but the wind still had plenty of gusts left, forcing many to clutch at their headgear. Others clung to each other, thoroughly shaken by their experience.

The six crews had merged themselves together, muttering amongst each other about how unbearable their soggy apparel felt pressing against skin and how miserable they felt. “My bandanna is supposed to be green, not sandy.” Captain Pidge grumbled from beside Keith as one of her crew members tended to her wounds which was nothing too horrific except for a nasty gash on her left hand. Her brother was looking a bit worse for wear as his glasses had been swept away by the tides and he was squinting intensely at everything in an effort to see anything but hazy silhouettes.

“Well, I think it still looks like green!” Captain Hunk replied brightly as Shay dabbed some damp cloth to his face, marked by scrapes that dragged down from his cheeks to his jaw.

Pidge gave a smile of appreciation before musing “Someone should get Captain Lance so that we can discuss what exactly we’re supposed to do now. We’re all trapped here together so we all might as well figure out how to leave.”

Everyone turned to glance at Captain Keith.

Keith sighed, getting the hint from their pointed stares. “I’ll go.”

“Splendid idea!” Coran responded, twirling his ginger moustache. No one really knew who Coran was except from those aboard the White Lion. He was like an advisor to Romelle and Allura, acting as a sort father-figure on their ship. The others chose not to pry, something Allura looked thankful for and Coran looked mildly disappointed by.

Keith gave a grunt of annoyance as he began to briskly walk in the direction Captain Lance and his first mate had taken.  Rolo watched him leave, plagued with thoughts of how suspicious Chief Lotor had been. Firstly, no one smiled the way he did except when they were planning something. Rolo knew this because he had used such a manoeuvre back when he had been a lowly, pick-pocketing urchin though he was somewhat ashamed to admit this. Second of all, the chief somehow knew about Keith’s mother which was alarming considering the fact that Keith had not breathed a word about her to anyone, not even Rolo. There was also the fact that everyone here had been after one thing: the Jewel of Voltron. Was it too outlandish to suggest that the Chief had told them all about the treasure and said the right things in order to influence each captain to chase it? In Rolo’s mind, there was a larger plot at play here though he could not figure it out. For now, he would muse over it and bring up his theory when possible.

He just hoped that they could all stop it in time.

* * *

To say Captain Keith and Captain Lance’s rivalry was complex was an understatement to say the least. There seemed to be something unspoken lingering between them that was left unacknowledged and whether that was intentional is still a mystery, particularly on Keith’s part. It appeared that this was a feeling shared by both of them that was evident and obvious to everyone but them. Perhaps they were conscious of it but thought that coming to an agreement about its existence put their entire rivalry at risk.  It was certainly very frustrating. Their animosity towards each other was probably a way of venting this. Yet, there was playfulness underlining their conversations during their duels.

“Captain Lance, it’s been a while hasn’t it?” Keith usually began as his sword clashed against Lance’s.

Lance would typically reply in turn with some witty quip such as “It has, Captain Keith. I was beginning to worry that you had lost interest in me.”

“I could say the same about you.” Keith usually responded.

Their exchanges could also become a tirade of insults and jabs at each other, normally when the situation became heated by tension over something incredibly valuable. However, a keen eye would have noticed that Captain Keith was rather soft towards Captain Lance as evident when he hardly put up a fight when Lance stole treasures he had previously been truly saddened at losing. Once or twice, members of both crews caught a glimpse of Keith staring fondly at Lance after battles though he attempted to conceal it. Something was there.

That didn’t mean Keith never became angered by Lance’s antics though.

* * *

 Keith staggered his way through the vibrant jungle that decorated the rest of the island, stumbling over tree branches and plants he couldn’t recall the names of. He silently cursed Nyma for hauling Lance so far away. What exactly was so important to discuss in secret that she had to practically hustle Lance to what felt like the other side of island?

He overheard voices ahead, attempting to remain low. “Thank God.” Keith mumbled, going further where he could clearly hear Lance and his first mate.

“I just think you shouldn’t have used it, that’s all!” Nyma hissed defensively.

“I know I shouldn’t have but it’s not like I had a choice!” Lance snapped.

Keith stopped in his tracks. “What?” He muttered to himself, choosing to listen in.

“Lance…” Nyma began before Lance interrupted her.

“Nyma, I had to use my powers. Just imagine how many of us could’ve died if I hadn’t!”

Keith found himself growing annoyed. So Lance had been using a kind of magic against Keith and his crew? Keith certainly wasn’t going to stand for it. Feeling somewhat violated, he felt the urge to storm through the foliage and give Lance a strong piece of his mind, complete with cussing.

 _‘It was to save your life.’_ A part of his mind argued vehemently which Keith supposed was true.

 _‘Even so, magic is dangerous. Look where it got Dad.’_ Keith reminded himself.  He almost missed the next part of the exchange.

Nyma then sighed, seeming to understand Lance to an extent. “I know but you could at least tell them.”

Lance’s reply was firm and sharp. “No.”

Exhaling sharply, Keith tried to refocus on getting Lance and Nyma back with everyone else. He could broach them with this topic later. He made a point of noisily snapping a twig when stepping forward.

“Someone’s coming. This conversation isn’t over.” Nyma murmured.

“You’re needed back with everyone else.” Keith informed the pair, face a mask of perfect coolness while his insides raged.

“Oh thanks for letting us know.” Lance replied, giving a small grin.

Keith grunted and marched ahead.

* * *

The Captains and their first mates (as well as Coran) all called a meeting between them on the shore while their crews worked together to assemble some sort of camp inside the jungle, salvaging whatever they could from the shipwrecks.  

“Was it just me or was the storm that got us here a bit too violent?” Captain Pidge chimed in.

“What do you mean?” Adam queried, frowning in confusion.

“It was as if someone was controlling it. The entire thing was unnatural, there had to be magic involved.” Matt then concluded, grinning proudly.

“How’d you figure that out?” Lance peered distrustfully at Pidge and Matt who shared a cryptic glance.

“Uh…” was all Matt could say.

“Lucky guess.” Pidge deadpanned.  

“If that is the case, then someone was alerted to our presence. This could be linked to the Jewel of Voltron, given how we were all looking for it.” Captain Shiro suggested, reaching for his husband’s hand for comfort.

Captain Allura gasped as her eyes grew wide with surprise. “They knew we were nearby.”

“Maybe Keith’s terrible steering tipped them off…” Lance muttered under his breath.

All of Keith’s previous attempts to calm down were ruined by this snide comment. He let out an aggravated growl before stomping right up to Lance as rage won, blood boiling in his ears.

“If you hadn’t distracted me then none of us would be in this mess!” Keith yelled, shoving Lance roughly in the chest.

“Distracted you? Oh please, you’re the one who started the whole thing!” Lance fired back, stepping closer to glower in his rival’s face.  For a moment, it looked like the pair was going to start brawling until Rolo and Nyma dragged the pair away from each other.

“You two, there’s no time for petty arguments!” Allura scolded, hands on her hips.

“Captain Allura is right. We need to figure out a way off this island.” Shiro added.

“But how are we going to do that when our ships are so damaged?” Hunk asked. He nibbled at his fingernails in worry.

Everyone glanced at the wreckage, ships piled on top of each other with some smashed to splinters. From what they could see, the damage was repairable but the maddening part was that there was no telling how long that could take.

“Rebuilding them could take up to a few months.” Adam commented.

“Would we even have the time to? Considering that someone is on our tails for the Jewel of Voltron.” Lance supplied.

“We can’t know for sure but it would be ideal for us if we start reconstructing our ships.” Romelle determined and everyone came to the agreement that they would rebuild their ships as soon as possible.

No matter how long it would take.


	3. A sorcerer's suspicions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! This update is really late, sorry. I'm meant for this to go up at the end of January but I've had a lot keeping me busy. Nevertheless, I'm back with a new chapter! Happy reading~

Setting up camp was easier said than done given how challenging it was trying to find materials that would aid them amid all of the debris of the wreckage. Amongst all of their treasures, they did end up finding resources. Their bed sheets could be sacrificed in order to construct improvised tents and thankfully all of the ships carried rations. Additionally, spare parchment, scraps of cloth and the foliage from the jungle made efficient fuel for burning fires. Each crew had their own campfire to cosy around which was pleasant enough, aside from some of them still being damp.  

It became apparent that none of the crews really knew what to do in these situations, as if the idea of getting in to a shipwreck had never occurred to them. They would be able to survive, just not particularly well if they didn’t all comply together, especially Keith and Lance. Speaking of which, both captains were decisively ignoring each other. The two of them made crude gestures towards each other whenever one of them wasn’t looking. They had caught each other in the act multiple times, sulking for a minute or so before continuing like a pair infantile five year olds.

It was growing tiresome, particularly to Captain Pidge.

She could not quite believe that two captains, who were older than her by a few years, were acting so childishly but then again the pair had an ‘intense’ rivalry. Pidge supposed a lack of decorum came with such a feud.  It seemed everyone else around her had their own ideas about the relationship between the two captains, something she’d have to pry in to later when given a chance. At the moment, Pidge needed to focus on more pressing matters.

Such as stopping Keith and Lance from killing each other if their disagreement escalated.

* * *

Pidge came across her ship accidentally while exploring a grotto overrun with foliage. Ivy wound itself around the crumbling exterior that had a stone archway guarding it with the support of pillars. All of these structures had once been a pleasing alabaster colour that had faded to an uninspiring and dirtied grey due to time and negligence by the locals. Large weeds sprung from between cracks in the ground. There were various kinds of brightly coloured flora but Pidge, not one for vegetation, could not recall the names nor did she care to.

Gripping her knapsack tightly, she eagerly scrambled underneath the ivy blocking the grotto entrance, crawling hurriedly on her hands and knees. They were grazed and muddy by the time she rose again but she was too curious about what lay ahead to pay any mind. Truthfully, Pidge wasn’t exactly sure what had drawn her to the grotto. She certainly could feel a powerful magical energy radiating from it but there was also something lurking underneath, another kind of force that she couldn’t put in to words which was abnormal for Pidge to say the least. Nevertheless, Pidge was determined to find out.

The interior of the grotto was drowned in darkness, save for the specks of sunlight that crept in behind her. But from what Pidge could make out, the murky water within the grotto was drying up the closer she was to the entrance, leaving shallow puddles behind. Pidge had the unfortunate pleasure of touching a damp, mossy wall as she edged her way through the dark, gagging in revulsion at the sensation.  Above her head, water droplets dripped down.  A few hit her and she deeply wished her brother was present to shield her with his gangly (vastly growing) height.

Alas, he was busy sleeping with the rest of their family in their comfortable cottage as most people would at six ‘o’clock in the morning.

Nevertheless, Pidge preserved onward, only slightly shuddering when her hand collided with more moss.  She came to a stop when she noted water was beginning to lap the verge of where she was walking. Poking her foot in to it, Pidge determined she could wade in it so she removed her shoes and rolled her trousers up to her knees. She gently edged herself in to the water and was instantly overpowered by the stench of sea-salt.

Moving forward, Pidge quickly realised that she had discovered a hidden passageway, most likely leading to the cove within one of the cliffs that encircled her town. If she had to guess why it was here, Pidge would say it was left over from when the town had been overrun with smugglers and explorers as some sort of tunnel. She let out a dissatisfied tsk sound, evaluating the effectiveness of this supposed secret smuggler passageway. For one thing, she was barely eleven years old and had managed to sneak in. Furthermore, it seemed like going back and forth, wading through all of the sea water and scurrying along the stone floor of the grotto, was a mighty hassle. No wonder the smugglers up and left years ago.

Pidge came to a rest as she entered the cove, hoisting herself out of the water and up on to a rocky surface. A wooden box, no bigger than her parent’s jewellery box, was tucked away in a small crevice in wall next to her. Naturally, she pulled it out and was surprised to see numerous scrolls of aged parchment come tumbling after, rolled tightly but shoved messily down the back.  She quickly unrolled the nearest to her, reading it. Unfortunately, it was written in unintelligible code. She tossed the parchment aside with a frustrated groan and focused on prising open the wooden box. It wasn’t locked but definitely stiff, rusting in places. Pidge eventually managed to open it though her fingers turned pale and ached from the strain.

Within the box was a golden compass emblazoned with the insignia of a mighty lion with green emeralds for eyes which glimmered despite how little light there was. There was a buzzing sensation growing inside her head akin to a headache except she felt no pain. Curious, she ran her fingers over the markings of the compass and was pleased by the tingling sensation that prickled under her nails. The compass was definitely infused with some form of magic or an enchantment at least. There appeared to be nothing else of significance in the crevice so Pidge shoved the compass and scrolls in her knapsack before preparing herself to re-enter the chilly water.

 It was then she felt a strong pulse of energy from the unknown force that lured her to the grotto as Pidge looked to her right and saw the anchored ship blocking the exit/entrance of the cove. Algae and seaweed clung to it desperately, almost concealing the magnificent green paint that coated it. Pidge’s jaw fell wide open as she gawked up at the ship, its massive shadow coating her skin.  With an excited squeal, Pidge leapt in to the water and hurried as quickly as she could back along the passage before scrambling out of the grotto in to the pale sunlight.

She had to get her brother to see this.

Her feet kicked up clouds of dust around her ankles as she hurried home, face aching with a wide grin due to the thrilling discovery of not only a secret cove or misplaced treasure but an entire ship! The garden gate shuddered in the wind, creaking, as Pidge yanked it open but neglected to close it again in her haste.  The garden itself, nearing full bloom, was only a blur of vibrant colours as she sprinted inside her family’s cottage. She briefly paused in her excitement to wipe the grime from her feet, discarding her shoes in to the growing disorderly pile by the back door. Tracking dirt in to the cottage was never allowed, no matter how ecstatic she was. Pidge then stampeded up the stairs, encouraged by the image of the ship flashing back to her.

Matthew’s door was flung wide open. Pidge scuttled in and loudly hissed “Matt, are you awake?”

“I guess I am now…” Matt snarked blearily in to his pillow as he attempted to smother as much noise as possible.

“Great, get dressed! I have something incredible to show you! Okay, so I was exploring this grotto I found earlier this morning and-…”

“Woah, Katie! Hold your horses, Kiddo. What were you doing roaming out and about at five AM, hmm?” Her older brother pressed, putting his glasses on and frowning at her intently.

Pidge pouted. “First of all, it wasn’t that early. Secondly, I was exploring. Are you going to let me show you or what?”

With a grumble, Matt rose from his bed, stretching. His golden-brown hair looked on edge if it had been struck by lightning, repeatedly, before he combed it in to a somewhat more manageable state. As soon as Matt was ready to go, Pidge sprinted back to the grotto, armed with notes and her brother, who was now so caught up in her gusto that he forgot to change out of his pyjamas.

* * *

After two years of researching with whatever  equipment she could get, it was no surprise that Captain Pidge was more than a little pissed to have wound up on an island in the realms of nowhere with her brilliant ship being reduced to a wreck. Not to mention the fact the other captains were growing insufferable.

She shot a pointed glare at Keith and Lance before hauling her brother away from his engrossed conversation with Nyma. “We have important things to discuss.” was the only reasoning she gave.

Nyma looked mildly disappointed but didn’t say anything, only giving a small nod of understanding. Matt gave an apologetic grin over his shoulder as his sister marched along the beach, kicking up clouds of brown sand.

“Let’s cut to the chase.” She began hastily, once she deemed they were far enough away to not be overheard but close enough to still see the other crews milling about.

 “Go ahead. Why’d you drag me over here, Katie?” Her brother inquired.

“Both of us can feel some real intense magical energy with us. I can’t tell what it is or who it even belongs to…” Pidge mused, shooting a disdainful glare in the direction of the others. They were now wearily regarding each other, starting to drift in to set crews with set captains which was a pity but also a possible caution they would have to take. After all, each of them had their own secrets to conceal.

Matt did not speak for a moment, furrowing his brow, and brushed dried mud from a spot on his boots. “I was afraid you’d say that.” He then admitted.

Pidge let out a snort of laughter. “Aren’t you supposed to be the expert on arcana in all of its forms?”

“Says the girl who spent the majority of her free time devouring every spell book she could get her hands on.” He quipped back, smirking. 

She gave him a quick shove as they both laughed before clearing her throat. “Seriously though, some of them have this energy I can’t describe…”

“Like the compass and the Green Lion?” Matt asked.

“Exactly. Maybe they’re not aware of it…”

“That’s a possibility.” A thoughtful look crossed Matt’s face.  “Then again…”

“What?” Pidge replied, leaning forwards to catch her brother’s words as he spoke in a low tone.

“I was just thinking about earlier, when we were in the storm and we felt a variety of enchanted energy. Maybe whatever it was is on this island somewhere?” Matt explained, pacing while he put his thoughts in to words.

“What like a supernatural entity?”

“I was wondering if it was one of the others…” Matt admitted, ceasing his frantic pacing to cast a apprehensive gaze over towards Lance and the Blue Lion’s crew.

 Pidge followed his eye line and gave a nod of understanding. “I have to agree with you on that one.” She admitted.

“You saw what he did to Nyma, right?” Matt queried.

“And to Keith and the rest of us.” Pidge added, fighting back a knowing smirk that threatened to overtake her ‘deep thinking’ face.  She could still feel the aftermath of what happened that last time her brother had fallen in love too quickly, both physically and mentally.

“Right.” Matt replied, flushing under the heat of the sun (Or so he argued later on). “It was some type of mind-control jinx or at the very least an influential hex.”

The siblings shared a weary look as they both remember the feeling of serenity overtake them, involuntarily willing them to complete actions they could scarcely remember through their dazed haze.  There was the turn of a ship wheel here, and the hard, slippery wood under intense grip there.

A voice called the pair back for help with the firewood and they both grimaced. “We’ll continue this conversation later.” Pidge told her brother, already briskly setting off down the beach again.

They set off, attempting to lighten their worries and appear to have been discussing their crew with each other, something they could pretend to do with no issue. 

* * *

Pidge’s family had magic bursting from their bodies for as long as she could remember and even beyond that. Her father had once explained that magic was had been part of the Holts since the first era of the world. Pidge thoroughly enjoyed her magic, revelling in the way she could make droplets of it collect on the tips of her fingers like morning dew on the grass blades in the lawn. True, it took some getting used to using, with the pain of the first few years being akin to holes ripping open through her skin, as if it were thin sheets of paper, to allow all of her magic to sweep through it. In contrast, Matt had been naturally gifted at it since he was seven.

When had taken Pidge two and a half thick spell books to grasp the basics, Matt learned the incantations he needed by simply watching others and replicating what he saw, though the harder spells did take several attempts to master.  Matt could take a spell and recreate it for the better, adding a flair and style she hoped to emulate one day. Pidge could recall a time when her brother had managed to improve a weak protection charm she had made. She had attempted to create a shield out of her magic. It was a good effort, having a faint emerald glow to it, but its chains were far too weak to protect her from much more than a fruit fly. Furthermore, her movements in order to cast the charm were awkward and bulky, making it rather difficult to perform. Upon seeing her spell, Matt stayed up late in to the night tidying up the spell by tightening its links and ensuring the movement was graceful in a way that would make enemies torn between awe and caution at the sight of it. The final version emitted a rich jade glow, as did all of Matt’s magic, with a gradual gradient to Pidge’s emerald one, making it appear that the spell was a team effort which it was in a way. The best part about it was the fact that Matt hadn’t done it for his own selfish gratification or as an ego boost (he was far too kind to even consider such a thing) but he had recreated solely for Pidge’s benefit.

“We can’t have you getting hurt out there, can we Katie?” He said simply as she praised him.

The spell had certainly come in handy later on. It was useful, particularly while the pair were exploring. From that spell, Pidge became greatly inspired by her brother, vowing to be as good as he was at the art of magic. There would be many hours in which her father and mother had found her holed away in some crook of their cottage, absorbed in an array of spell books. Whenever she wasn’t brushing up on spells, she was practicing them in their garden with Matt encouraging and coaching her from the side-lines.  Numerous apple trees and precious flower beds had been destroyed in the process but Matt insisted that it was all part of the journey to improving.

“I’ve probably turned our garden in to ash and cinders more times than I can count.” He once admitted to her ten year old self, ensuring to include a playful wink as he did so.

Pidge huffed out a dramatic sigh and crossed her arms, pouting. “That’s a lie.”

“How’d you mean?” Matt responded, tilting his head.

“First of all, you could count to infinity in your sleep if you wanted to. Secondly, you’re amazing at this. You’ve probably just saying that to make me feel better.”

“Katie.” Matt said, voice suddenly growing serious as he crouched to her level. Pidge avoided looking in to his concerned eyes, trying to count the grass blades she had set on fire instead.

“No one is perfect overnight. Chefs will have burnt their dishes a hundred times before they turn out to be anything good or edible. Besides, you and I both know how clumsy I am. Do you really think I haven’t messed up with magic at all?”

Pidge giggled. “I guess so.”

“That’s the spirit! Now, turn that ickle frown upside down!” He teased, squeezing her shoulders comfortingly.

“Matt!” She whined, wrinkling her nose at her brother’s antics. “I’m ten now! You can’t baby me anymore.”

“Prove it.” He challenged, ruffling the top of her hair. “Try that spell again and I won't baby you. Make sure you avoid Dad’s gerberas this time.”

Needless to say, Pidge managed to perform the spell much better than before and avoid her father’s favourite flowers (but she did accidentally hit his second favourite, peonies, much to his horror).

* * *

 

Pidge sadly regarded the remains of the Green Lion, clasping her compass with clammy hands. Matt patted her back soothingly, still hopelessly squinting at everything around him. “We can fix it.” He assured her, offering a small grin in her direction.

“I hope so.” She sighed, pushing her bandanna back up her brow.

Matt waited a while before speaking again. “You don’t think a _certain_ someone had anything to do with this, do you?”

Pidge’s face darkened as she snarled “Mark my words, if that arrogant chief had anything to do with that storm, there will be hell to pay.”

It was only a matter of time until the pair came face to face with the culprit of the storm who was much closer to them than they had considered, waiting.


End file.
